James t



(No Model.)

J. T. SMITH.

Parasol. N. 240,470. Patented April 1'9,18s|. fa

WITNESSES v ATTORNEYS- UNITED STATES' PATENT OFFICE.

' JAMES T. SMITH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y;

PARASOL SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 240,470, dated April 19, 1881. Application filed March 12, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMES T. SMITH, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Parasol; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, refereuce being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specilication, in which- Figure l is a side view, with the notch in section, showing two positions of the ribs, runner, andstretchers, Fig. 2, a sectional View of the stick, notch, and runner.

My invention relates to an improvement in that class of parasols which are designed to be suspended from the top, in con trad istinctiou tobeing supported upon a subjacent handle.

The particular type of parasol or umbrella upon which my invention is an improvement is that in which the ribs are closed by the upward travel of the runner instead of its downward movement, as usual. Such umbrellas and parasols have heretofore been constructed with a bell-shaped notch closed at the top and elongated, so as to form the ferrule and end of the top of the umbrella or parasol. This bellshaped combined notch and ferrule is so enlarged as to receive the ribs, braces, and runner.

My invention consists in the peculiar construction and form of the notch, to which the runner and braces converge. It is short, flat, and circular or ring-shaped, having a hole at the top through which the rod or statt projects. This notch has a recessed lower side to receive the upper end of the runner and its attachments when the umbrella or parasol is closed.

My invention further consists in a runner or slide constructed with a broad flange or lip on its lower edge, for the purpose of affording a purchase for the fingers in opening the umbrella or parasol, the thumb at the same time resting upon the knob at the lower end of the rod or stick on which the runner operates.

My invention further consists in a short rod or stick, the upper end of which is passed completely through the hole in the notch, and the notch is then riveted to it. This upper part of the rod or stick passing through the hole in the notch, as above described, is left of sufcient length to be received and held by the supporting attachments for the umbrella or parasol. The lower part of the rod or stick (or that part below the notch) is short, and equal in length to the range of the movements of the runner. The bottom of the rod or stick has a knob end, which acts as a stop and limits the descent of the runner. It furthermore acts as a rest or purchase for the thumb when opening the umbrella or parasol, as already described.

The invention also further consistsin the peculiar structure of the runner, as hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings, A represents the stick or rod; B, the ribs; C, the stretchers; D, the runner; E, the notch, and F the knob on the lower end of rod or stick. Said rod is made very short, and terminates ata point just be low the position of the runner, when the ribs are distended, and it passes up and through a central hole in the notch E. The stretchers are jointed to the upper end ot' the runner, and when the Vparasol is closed they pass upwardly, with the upper end of the ruimer, into the recess in the under side ofthe notch. As shown in Fig. l they are just about leaving that position.

At the lower edge of the runner is arranged a ring or annular projection, a, setting away from the cylinder of the runner far enough to form a finger-hold. This projection is at present formed of a metal ring slipped over the end of the cylindrical portion and held in place by a bead, b, in the cylinder on one side, and by the expanded or iiared end of the cylinder on the other side, as shown in detail in Fig. 2. This annular projection ou the lower end of the runner co-operates with the knob at the end of the rod, in that it forms a hold for the lingers, while the knob forms a rest for the thumb, as shown in Fig. l, by bringing which together by the same hand the ribs are expanded. This knob F also forms a stop to limit the descent of the runner, a suitable catch, d, being employed at this point to hold the runner down and the parasol open.

The notch E, I stamp and spin from metal,l

with a hole in the center to permit the stick to pass through, a peripheral groove, c, to receive the wire that holds the ribs, and with a IOO recessed or cup-shaped lower side to receive. the runner and stretcher ends when the parasol is folded. The extension of the stick through the central hole of the notch constitutes the point of attachment for the supporting-arm which sustains the parasol.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A parasol arranged, as described, to open by the descent ofthe runner, and having a rod or stick equal in length to the range of movement of the runner, with a knob at its lower end, and its upper end passing cornpletely through the hole in the notch, combined with a runner having an, annular projection at the lower end to form a finger-hold adapted Y JAS. T. SMITH.

Witnesses:

WM. S. MARSH,

WM. R. HALLETT. 

